AP sources: Army chooses Austin for new Futures Command HQ

LOLITA C. BALDORJuly 12, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say Army leaders will announce on Friday that they’ve chosen Austin, Texas, as the location for a new command headquarters that will focus on how to modernize the service and prepare for future wars.

The Army laid out plans to create the so-called Futures Command last October, marking the first time in decades that the service has added such a high-level, new headquarters.

The officials say the city is well-suited for the Army’s high-technology and academic needs. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the selection before it was made public. The command will have a staff of about 500, led by a four-star general.

Fifteen cities were considered, and the five finalists were Austin, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Raleigh, North Carolina.